Antigua: 12-years-old underage girl found pregnant in hospital

Antigua and Barbuda: A 12-year-old girl has been discovered pregnant after she was taken to the hospital due to the dizziness feeling in Antigua and Barbuda on Wednesday. Serving as another case in the time frame of three months, the doctors announced that the girl was sick due to her underage pregnancy.

As per the reports, the girl was taken to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, where the emergency department reported the pregnancy of the minor child to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and informed them about the situation.

After receiving the report, the department launched an investigation into the matter and stated that the offense of unlawful sexual intercourse would be probed efficiently. With the proper tests, the doctors notified the Police as the law mandates the investigation of such cases.

Notably, a similar case was also reported in February 2024, where the hospital staff informed the CID about the pregnancy of an underage girl. These cases have been making the citizens of Antigua and Barbuda anxious due to the safety of their children, who somehow become the victims of all these situations.

On April 12, 2024, the pregnancy of an 11-year-old girl was also confirmed by the hospital after her father in Antigua and Barbuda had been involved in sexual intercourse with the child. The incident occurred between 2014 and 2015, and the incident came to light after the daughter had explained the entire issue to the school counselor.

The school counselor took the action and initially removed the girl from the home. As per the reports, the father came home drunk and had sex with her daughter outside the house, causing the pregnancy of the child in June 2014.

After nine months, the girl child gave birth to the child, and the father refused to accept that child, due to which the daughter took her father to court seeking maintenance for her child. Now, the man was taken into custody on April 9, 2024, when he pleaded guilty by the court.

Such cases have been causing conflicts among the citizens in Antigua and Barbuda as people are seeking proper measures against unlawful sexual intercourse. Netizens demanded stricter actions against these people and asked for proper security measures for underage girls as it is tough for them.

Netizens also stated that there is a need for the proper sex education to educate girls against the unnatural sex and teach them about the good touch and bad touch.